Yinghua
by Hakuei's Cooking
Summary: Kouen and Hakuei enjoying a peaceful afternoon. Spoilers for chapter 212.


**Disclaimer: Magi is the property of Shinobu Ohtaka and Shogakukan.**

**Yinghua**

Kouen stopped in his tracks on the moss-outlined stone path that ran in the middle of the palace gardens. When his household followed his sideways gaze they were met with princess Hakuei, who acknowledged their lord's presence with the hand she waved at him. The wind that rustled though the trees and scattered leaves and cherry blossom around them combed through long, loose tresses that she tucked behind her ears. Afternoon tea was served in garnished porcelain before her with Seishun waiting at her side.

"You're dismissed."

The bridge that connected the garden islands that were divided by streams dotted with lotus and gold fish that were swimming underneath creaked under Kouen's advancing steps. After a long day of war meetings and supervising his subordinates' training, Kouen would usually head to the archives to seclude himself between towers of scrolls and dusty tomes. However, the man who was always on guard found himself being beckoned by that hand that reserved the place next to its owner, his heart that had hardened from countless battles soothing at Hakuei's smile as her eyes followed his trek.

"As you wish, your highness."

At his lady's command, Seishun ran off to catch up with his elders that headed towards the barracks. His elder brother, the snake-haired Seishuu, receiving him with an arm locked around his shoulders and a hand messing his hair up.

"I hope I'm not imposing on you," Hakuei said apologetically, pouring him some tea.

"Not at all," Kouen reassured as he seated himself beside her, dusting off pink petals that clung to his cape and hair.

"Tomorrow I'll be leaving for the Tenzan Plateau and you for Balbadd; who knows when we'll see each other again."

Kouen received the cup that she offered and watched his blurry reflection in the steamy, green surface. As a leader who everyone turned to for guidance, as the eldest brother who looked after his brothers and sisters and tried to bring them together despite being conceived by different mothers, Kouen was in a serious lack of someone he could consult and talk to about his worries: someone who would mitigate them. He was going to miss her. As it occurred to him with whom she was going to spend her time the most while he was away he asked, a disapproving lilt to his voice, "and you'll be taking those barbarians with you?"

"They're not barbarians," Hakuei stifled a giggle, wondering if he was overprotective or jealous, "they're respectable citizens of the Kou empire."

"Hmph." If it was up to him, he would have confined her to the capital and a sewing needle would have been the sharpest tool she was allowed to handle.

"It does feel awkward and lonely sometimes, being the only woman in the camp," Hakuei placed her hand on his and squeezed it reassuringly, "but don't worry, I can take care of myself."

Next, Hakuei watched as Kouen untangled his hand and extended it to encircle her left cheek, his calloused thumb stroking the scar that marred it with his bottom lip puffing. His other hand then reached for his sword, removed it from its scabbard and held it up close to her face. The octagram symbol on the hilt ornament flickered as he chanted, "heal, Phenex!"

White, ethereal feathers extended from his sword to erase the scar on her face and whatever injuries that lied hidden beneath her robes. After the feathers drew away from her face and vanished into thin air, Hakuei reached up a hand to trace the place where the scar used to be.

"I know this is the path that you've chosen and I won't stand in your way, but be more careful from now on," he reproached, sheathing his sword. "I won't be able to face your father and brothers if something happened to you. Besides..."

As he trailed off, Hakuei smiled at him fondly, understanding that he could not bear the thought of her getting hurt. A girlish giggle emanated from her throat as she leaned forward to imprint a kiss on his cheek, the gesture coloring his ears as red as his hair.

They averted their faces bashfully from one another, their cups warming their laps while Kouen searched for a topic that could end this awkward silence. Politics, history and battle strategies were the only things he could talk about at length, and though Hakuei was a well-read woman who cared about the state of her country, he did not want to ruin their fleeting time together with serious or grim matters. Sometimes when he was with his brothers, Kouha would bring up stories about his subordinates, Judar or courtiers who kissed up to him. Koumei would either laugh or shake his head at Kouha's silliness, while he would just chuckle or grunt to indicate that he was listening. Humor and casual conversations were never one of his fortes, and even as a listener he had little to contribute to them.

Silence stretched on between them, broken by the sound of running water and the birds that flew around them. While Hakuei sipped her tea, Kouen watched her profile out of the corner of his eyes, all his thoughts about her that had been haunting him lately resurfacing. Late at night when he was lying in his bed, he would recall the time they had trained together after she had captured her first dungeon. He would recall the cry that she let out whenever she charged at him with all of her might, her frustrated growls whenever he dodged her with ease, her robes that parted a little to reveal more cleavage, and all that flesh that was exposed to him after she had accomplished her first djinn equip... He tore his gaze from her as he once again stopped himself short from picturing her undressed.

Ever since he had become the crown prince, girls were sent to his sleeping quarters who he had all turned away with not so much as a glance. Between a mother who had suffered through his father's womanizing and an uncle who he looked up to who had remained faithful to his wife, Kouen had sworn to himself to never become the man that his father was. However, his father's remarks about him being a cherry boy, combined with people starting to have misconceptions about his sexual orientation, he was driven to go through with it just so everyone would give the subject a rest. He did not recall what the girl that was sent to him that night looked like, and it had only taken a few minutes before he dismissed her so he could get back to reading. All he needed was one woman with a good head on her shoulders: a woman who would bear him strong heirs who will follow in his footsteps.

"Let's take a walk." Kouen rose from his seat after he had placed his empty cup on the table, offering Hakuei a hand to stand up.

The sky turned redder by the minute as the sun sunk towards the horizon. Crows cawed in the distance, and stone lanterns and candles inside the palace were lit one by one with patrol guards taking their positions.

The sky was half-orange, half-indigo when the first prince and the first princess reached the living quarters, and Hakuei gasped when suddenly, she was yanked by her shoulders through the sliding shoji door of a dark, empty room. Her back was against the wall with a hand on each side of her. Blood crimson eyes met her blue orbs as hallway light that filtered through the paper screens dimly illuminated the face of her captor. Without putting up any resistance, she watched as Kouen fixed his gaze on her lips, and she held her breath, waiting for what he was about to do. And after a moment that felt like an eternity, his lips pressed against her forehead, followed by his own resting against it.

"G-General Kouen?" Hakuei asked worriedly above a whisper, her cheeks flushing as his face was mere inches from hers.

Kouen's eyes shut as he took in her scent, troubled about the measure he had to take at some point. That witch was a danger to his country, to the world and everyone who was dear to him. He wondered if she will have it in her heart to forgive him.

He pulled away from her, and his hand stretched to finger a strand of her hair that he next brought to his lips. "If you don't mind, can I have this?"

Hakuei, who was able to read Kouen's thoughts and emotions as if they were her own, felt a chill run down her spine, her stomach knotting as she sensed the great burden that he was shouldering all by himself. With color drained from her face she reached for his sword and did as he asked, and before sliding it back into its scabbard she cut a strand of his hair to keep for herself.

Their shadows that were reflected on the shoji door overlapped as she reached up to brush her lips against his and rested her head on his chest. "Whatever you're planning to do I believe in you, general Kouen, and I will always love you."

The fact that he returned her feelings was conveyed to her with the arms that he wrapped around her.


End file.
